The American Classroom program in the College of Professional Studies is “an innovative transitional experience for international students” that “provides a comprehensive academic and cultural experience,” according to the program website. Its stated goal is to offer international students an opportunity to improve their English language proficiency together with an introduction to academic life at an English-language university.

Mathematics classes in American Classroom (precalculus, calculus 1 for business and economics, calculus 1 and calculus 2 for science and engineering) follow the same syllabi as corresponding classes in the Department of Mathematics. In past summers, mathematics classes in the program were scheduled for 100 minutes, two days per week, for the full semester—the same pace as mathematics classes during the fall and spring semesters. Now, for summer 2017, students in the American Classroom program must take mathematics in 3.5 hour blocks: 210 minutes each day, twice a week, during summer 2 only.

A mathematics class that meets for three and a half straight hours in a day is truly exceptional. The Department of Mathematics will offer 33 classes during summer 2017: 21 in summer 1 and 12 in summer 2. Every one of them is scheduled to meet for 100 minutes a day, four days per week. There are sound pedagogical reasons for this schedule. And the Department of Mathematics assumes that students in these classes are fluent in English.

So during summer 2017, students, here to learn how to learn in a new language, will be expected to learn mathematics in quadruple time: Double class periods for half a semester. The College of Professional Studies will be pushing its international students to learn significantly faster than Northeastern expects native speakers to learn the same material. What kind of opportunity can this be?

– Benjamin Levy is an adjunct instructor in Northeastern University’s Department of Mathematics.